MESSAGE #1509 9-11

/0 Comments/in , , /by

It’s hard to believe 9-11 happened ten years ago. I still have mixed emotions about it all, but mainly I am proud.

Proud of the way those affected bounced back.

In sports and life, we encounter adversity, but that’s not the important thing. The important thing is how we react to adversity.

You don’t drown by falling in water. You drown by staying in the water.

Accept. Learn. Move on.

I have spent time with some of the greatest athletes in the world and many of them say this: You need to have a short-term memory.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying to forget. I’m just saying not to live in the past.

Bounce back today.

Ed Tseng
Director of Mental Conditioning
Monroe Sports Center
609.558.1077

MESSAGE #1505 CONTROL

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

Learn to control your emotions, or your emotions will control you.

Are you a thermometer, or a thermostat?

Do you read what’s going on outside (around you), or can you control your internal temperature?

We can’t really control our thoughts and feelings, but we can shift our focus when we are negative or angry.

How?

1. Take a deep breath.
2. Think about your ideal reaction.
3. Do what you need to do, whether you feel like it or not.

Be a thermostat today.

Ed Tseng
Director of Mental Conditioning
Monroe Sports Center
609.558.1077

MESSAGE #1502 THE WINNER OF THE US OPEN WILL BE…

/0 Comments/in , , , , /by

I am going to make a prediction.

I know who is going to win the US Open this year.

Here it is:

The winner of the 2011 US Open will be…

The player who plays best.

Let me explain.

The best player does not win the US Open, the player that plays best wins the US Open.

It’s not about rankings, it’s about how well you play. Anything can happen in sports. There have already been several upsets in both the men’s and women’s draws.

So the next time you get ready for a competition, forget about who you’re up against. Instead, focus on your strategy and giving your full effort. If you do things that will help put you in a good position to win, you will win more often.

Leave your comments below.

Ed Tseng
Director of Mental Conditioning
Monroe Sports Center
609.558.1077

MESSAGE #1501 HOW TO BE A CHAMPION

/0 Comments/in , , , , /by

Muhammad Ali once said, “To be a great champion, you have to believe you are the best. If you’re not, pretend you are.”

Most people wait until they “feel” something to act that way.

The most successful people in the world know that it actually works in the opposite way.

If you want to be confident, PRETEND that you are confident.

If you want to be energetic, PRETEND that you are energetic.

If you want to be motivated, PRETEND that you are motivated.

Not convinced? Then just remember these eight words…

ACT AS IF IT WERE IMPOSSIBLE TO FAIL.

Thanks for reading.

Here is my recent interview with award-winning tennis writer, Ann LoPrinzi: http://www.nj.com/times-sports/index.ssf/2011/09/post_66.html

Ed Tseng
Director of Mental Conditioning
Monroe Sports Center
609.558.1077

MESSAGE #1491 BE A TEABAG

/0 Comments/in , /by

People are like teabags, you don’t see their true strength until they’re in hot water.

MESSAGE #1489 W.I.N.

/0 Comments/in , , , , , , /by

Today, I spoke to some of my fellow coaches at Princeton Day School to get ready for the Fall season. One thing I talked about was how to win more. I said that the best way to win more is to not worry about winning. Instead, focus on what W.I.N. stands for: What’s Important Now.

The results are not important…now.

The fact that you lost your last three games is not important…now.

What’s important now is what you’re doing…now. Serving, shooting, running, throwing the ball, shooting the puck, etc.

Want more? Checkout the peak performance products above.

Thanks for reading.

Ed Tseng
Director of Mental Conditioning
Monroe Sports Center
609.558.1077

MESSAGE #1488 LEARN FROM MUHAMMAD ALI

/0 Comments/in , , , , , , , /by

As coaches, athletes, students and professionals, one of our greatest challenges is staying in the present moment. For many athletes, the season is a long one. So what do you do to help ensure that you focus on quality, not quantity? That’s easy, remember this quote from Muhammad Ali:

Don’t count the days, make the days count.

Do what you’re doing while you’re doing it.

Thanks for reading.

Ed Tseng
Director of Mental Conditioning
Monroe Sports Center
609.558.1077

MESSAGE #1487 HANG ON ‘TIL YOU CATCH ON

/0 Comments/in , , , , , , , /by

Everyone knows Tony Robbins, the self-help guru who built a peak performance empire.

Did you know when Tony Robbins was younger, he washed his dishes in his bathtub because he didn’t have a working kitchen sink?

See, you don’t need to be great at the start, but you need to start to be great. You may not be washing dishes in your bathtub, but if you’re reading this, I know you want to get better. In sports, we often have a little negative voice inside our heads: “I can’t do this” or “I can’t do that.” When we hear this little negative voice, we should accept it, let it go and continue on our path of hard work and constant improvement.

I don’t care where you are…I care where you want to be.

MESSAGE #1486 CONTROLLABLES

/0 Comments/in , , , , , , /by

Today’s message is especially dedicated to the great Oliver Winterbone, video coordinator for the University of Florida Gators Men’s Basketball team.

Right about now, high school and college coaches are gearing up for their fall season. Tomorrow, at Princeton Day School, we have a coaches cookout and the Athletic Director asked me to say a few words to all the coaches. Below is an exercise I will recommend they use with their team.

1. With your team, make a list of things you cannot control in sports (referees, opponents, court/field conditions, weather, etc).

2. Then make a list of things you can control (your effort, your focus, your attitude, your reactions, your strategy, your adjustments, etc).

3. Throw out the list of uncontrollables and focus on the controllables.

Not a coach? You can still use this exercise in sales, school and relationships.

Ed Tseng
Director of Mental Conditioning
Monroe Sports Center
609.558.1077

MESSAGE #1484 HOPE

/0 Comments/in , , , , /by

When competing in sports, and life, trust all the hard work you’ve put in…and remember this quote:

When you come to the edge of all the light you know and are about to step into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing that one of two things will happen: there will be something solid to stand on, or you’ll be taught to fly.
-Elisabeth Kubler-Ross